A History of Crosby County 1876-1977 Page: 409
608 p. : ill. ; 28 cm.View a full description of this book.
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provided the backdrop as the young cou-
ple started a life together that would span
over 60 years.
Rob and Minnie made their first home in
the area where they were married on a
farm with one of Minnie's uncles. The
young couple later moved to a farm near
Blossom, where Minnie gave birth to their
first child, Nora, who died soon after birth.
In 1914 their first son, James Alva, was
born. The McHams then moved to the
farming community of Eastland where son,
Clem, was born in 1916 followed by Doris
in 1919.
The year 1920 found the couple and
their three children making a new home in
Rails. While Rob made a living working for
various farmers in the area, including Con
Parrish and Butler Adams, Minnie kept
track of their growing family to which had
been added two sons, R. L. in 1922 and
Bobby in 1925.
The couple saw their children gradually
leave the home to have families of their
own. Elder son, Alva, married Opal Neagle
and eventually had five children, Lonnie,
Dennis, Peggy, Wayne and Tom. The Alva
McHams are now living on a farm outside
of Floydada, and have four grandchildren.
Clem McHam married Lorraine Nance
and raised a family of eight children,
Jimmy, Robert, Dessy Pearl, Eddie Ray,
Mildred, Glinda, Geneva and Patsy Ann.
This brood provided Clem and Lorraine
with 28 grandchildren and three great-
grandchildren. Clem passed away while
living in Sundown in 1968.
Rob and Minnie's only daughter, Doris,
married Robert Neagle and had two chil-
dren, Doyle and Sandra who provided
them with four grandchildren. Doris died of
an illness while living in Lovington, N.M. in
1969.
R. L. married Billie Jean Crabb and had
three children, Leona Jean "Jeannie",
Jerry Don and Paula Gail. Eventually, three
grandchildren were added to this family. R.
L. McHam farmed in Farmer, until he died
in an automobile accident near McAdoo in
1954.
Bobby married Elwanda Melton and pro-
duced two children, Linda and Barbara,
and two grandchildren. Bobby and
Elwanda McHam are living in Levelland.
Most of Rob's children followed in the
farming occupation in which he continued
until he was no longer physically able. He
and Minnie then moved into Rails to a small
home on Ave. G. Rob did yard and garden
work until that, too, became too much for
him. The elder McHams then spent their
time tending their beautiful flower gardens
and enjoying visits from grandchildren.
Because of ill health and the need to be
close to their children, Rob and Minnie
moved to a farm home near Floydada for a
while, then returned to their home in Rails
where in 1971 at the age of 76 Rob died.
Minnie then sold her home and moved to
Rails Nursing Center where she now
resides.
It had been a long full life for Robert Lee
and Minnie Pearl McHam since that cere-
mony in the flat-bed wagon. Sixty years of
life together had produced six children, 20
grandchildren, 41 great-grandchildren and
three great-great-grandchildren. They had
outlived four of their six children.
The McHam family is still growing and
only matriarch, Minnie McHam still residesin Crosby Co., but the family's memories
are still there and all who are old enough
cherish those loving memories supplied by
Rob and Minnie McHam. (Compiled by
Jeannie McHam Walker and Paula
McHam)
GLENN M. McKEE FAMILY
My parents, Glenn M. and Jessie C.
McBride, and their one-year old son, Rob-
ert M. McKee, moved to West Texas in
1910. They settled in Plainview, where my
dad worked in the bank as a bookkeeper.
His two elder brothers, Joe H. and Alvin
W., had moved their families to Plainview
before this time. Glenn was the younger of
the three sons of J. B. McKee, a mercantile
owner in Honey Grove. There were also
two daughters, Mary and Etta, (the young-
est). All of the J. B. McKee children were
born in Honey Grove, as were several of
the grandchildren, including my brother,
Robert.
The Glenn McKee family had lived in
Plainview about a year when I, James
Philip McKee, was born. I got a nickname
the first day of my life, "Peanut". My uncle,
Charles McBride, came to see my mother
and the new baby and remarked, "he's no
bigger than a peanut." The nickname
stuck and I grew up with it.
We lived in Plainview until 1913, when
my family moved to Crosbyton. My dad
went to work as cashier in First National
Bank. Life in Crosbyton was a lot of fun
and a good place to live. Grownups and
kids alike always had things to do. Parties
and picnics, dances and rodeos, and
always good friends. Pat Murphy's log
cabin in the canyon, with the big stone fire-
place, Rock House, "Blue Hole" on Half
Circle S Ranch, "Rock Crossing" on White
River and Silver Falls Lake all bring back
fond memories. My dad and granddad had
an open invitation to hunt on some of the
ranches in the area, and the younger ones
could go if they were supervised. Quail and
dove were plentiful and made a good meal.
I remember chasing antelope over the
range in a car (Model "T"), but don't think
we ever got very close to any of them.
In 1920, my dad decided to move our
family to Amarillo, where he had the Fire-
stone Tire and Rubber Company dealer-
ship. It was here that my sister, Mary Cath-
erine, was born. We lived in Amarillo about
two years, then decided to move back to
Crosbyton. Dad went back to his job at the
bank. I think all of us were glad to be back
"home"; also my mother's parents, the J.
0. McBrides, were still living.there.
All three of the Glenn McKee offspringGlenn (age 21) and Jessie McKee.
Glenn McKee Home, Crosbyton.
graduated from Crosbyton High School,
Bob in 1926, Phil in 1928 and Mary Cath-
erine in 1937. We each entered University
of Texas after graduation from high school.
Bob entered law school, Phil in engineer-
ing and Mary C. in education. While at the
University, Bob married Rebecca Williams,
also a student. After graduation from law
school, Bob and Becka came to Crosby-
ton. Bob taught school a year or two and
later was elected County Attorney in the
1930's. Bob McKee was an attorney of the
Department of Justice from Attorney Gen-
eral's Office of Land Division at Alexandria,
Va. He held that position for 32 years until
he retired in 1974. They moved to Taver-
nier, Fla. (Key Largo) where they reside.
They have two daughters: Mrs. Lauris
(Ann) Beyda, Ithaca, N.Y. and Mrs. Jack
Arden, (Nancy), Asheville, N.C. Lauris had
four children: Adam, Cathy, David and
Kent. Nancy has two children, Mickey and
Terry Ann.
Phil married Minnie Cope of Lamesa in
1939. Phil and Minnie moved to Los Ange-
les, Calif., in 1944 from San Angelo. He
was a design engineer for North American
Aircraft several years. They had one son,
Gary Cope, born in 1946. Gary died as the
result of a car accident, three weeks before
his 21st birthday.
Mary Catherine married Robert W.
Laakso in 1940. They have three sons:
Robert, James and Jere. Mary Catherine
was living in Titusville, Fla., and teaching
school when she passed away in 1971. My
mother was living in Florida at the time of
my sister's death, then she moved back to
Crosbyton and lived in the McBride house
until 1975 when her health began to fail
and she moved to Lubbock. Phil and Min-
nie have lived in Lubbock since 1971.
My parents were living in the Rio Grande
Valley when they came to Crosbyton to
visit my grandmother McBride. My dad
became ill and was taken to the Crosbyton
Clinic where he passed away in 1956.
One might say that both of my parents
were "joiners". My dad was a 32nd
Degree Mason, belonged to Khiva Temple,
Eastern Star, DAR and UDC and was a
member of Presbyterian Church. (Written
by Phil McKee)
THE McLAUGHLIN FAMILY
In 1865, William Edward McLaughlin
was born near Camden, Ark. His ancestors
had come to America from Scotland and
Ireland in the 1790's. He was raised by a
brother, Nick, and they migrated to Fannin
Co., then to Ellis Co. and finally to Hill Co.
in 1876.
At the age of 22 he went off to hunt for a409
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Crosby County Pioneer Museum. A History of Crosby County 1876-1977, book, 1978; Crosby County, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth91041/m1/413/: accessed May 4, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .